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Sweeney won his seat back, but not without corruption.
1. LOHV-NJ billboards were rejected by Clearchannel -
Norcross/Sweeney's pull on what gets advertised.
2. Pet license OPRAs were denied by almost all of the towns,
forcing LOHV-NJ to go to court, making it more difficult to
advertise to these potential supporters.
3. The LOHV-NJ protest was disrupted by paid counter
protesters.
Maybe next time his constituents will realize that Sweeney
doesn't care about the voters.
Maybe his constituents will realize that Sweeney is a thug who
thwarts the democratic process by blocking humane legislation.
Maybe next time, we'll get a whole coalition of groups
fighting against him.
LOHV-NJ will never give up fighting for the animals.
Senate President Sweeney
At the behest
of firearms trade associations, Senator Sweeney promotes blood
sports and commercial fur trapping - and blocks votes for
wildlife protective legislation in committees and on the
floor. He has several times substituted himself on committees
to report controversial wildlife killing bills.
Sweeney enabled the New Jersey Fish and Game Council to
brazenly violate New Jersey's landmark 1984 law banning
steel-jaw leghold traps. (See state editorial opinions in the
Star-Ledger -
here,
here,
and
here,
and the
Press of
Atlantic City;
see commentary
here.)
Senator Sweeney sponsors non-controversial companion
animal/gestation crate legislation (see below), whilst pushing
bills that promote and deregulate hunting and trapping. He
obstructs humane measures that would protect wildlife within
the state.
Sweeney's Voting Record
|
LOHV-NJ Position |
Date
|
Legislation
|
Action
|
|
OPPOSES |
6/23/2016 Introduced in the
Senate
|
S2400: Authorizes use of
tracking dog to search for and recover wild deer
during prescribed hunting season.
Many deer are wounded and not recovered, particularly
in bow hunting, where the rate of
wounding is over 50%.
|
The
Senate voted on 5/25/2017 (38-0-2) passing the bill.
Sweeney voted YES.
|
|
SUPPORTED |
1/12/2016 Introduced in the
Senate
|
SCR11/ACR25: Determines that
Fish and Game Council's
adopted rule
to allow use of
enclosed foothold traps is inconsistent with plain
language and legislative intent of 1984 law banning
animal traps of steel-jaw leghold type.
|
The Assembly voted on 10/20/2016
(51-10-8-11) passing the bill.
Sweeney
BLOCKS any action in
Senate.
|
|
SUPPORTED |
10/13/2016 Introduced
in the Senate
|
S2702/A4285: "Pedals'
Law," Prohibits hunting and establishes nonlethal
control program for black bear for five years;
prohibits actions that result in bear feeding; and
requires use of bear-resistant containers, dumpsters,
and food boxes in bear habitat.
|
The Senate Committee voted on 10/17/2016
to release the bill.
Sweeney
will not post bill in
the Senate for a vote.
|
|
SUPPORTED |
11/16/2015 Introduced
in Assembly
|
ACR250 Determines that Fish
and Game Council's adopted rule to allow use of
enclosed foothold traps is inconsistent with plain
language and legislative intent of 1984 law banning
animal traps of steel-jaw leghold type.
|
The
Assembly voted on 12/17/2015 (46-15-8) passing the
bill.
Sweeney will not
post bill in Senate for a vote.
|
|
OPPOSED |
10/14/2014 Introduced
in the Senate
Sweeney is PRIMARY
SPONSOR
|
S2492: Removes statutory
limitation on number of permits that may be issued by
Division of Fish and Wildlife for the taking of
beaver.Currently,
the maximum is 200 (8 beavers per permit).
This legislation could wipe
out beaver population.
|
Senate Committee voted on
1/12/2015
to release bill.
Sweeney substitutes himself and votes YES.
The
Senate Budget Committee voted
on 3/9/2015 to release the bill. Again, Sweeney substitutes himself and votes YES.
|
|
OPPOSED |
1/14/2014 Introduced
in the Senate
Sweeney is PRIMARY
SPONSOR
|
S573: Establishes
apprentice firearm hunting license and apprentice bow
and arrow license, stripping the requisite safety
course for anyone 14 years of age if accompanied by a
hunting license holder above twenty-one.
|
Senate Committee voted on
1/12/2015 to release bill - Sweeney
subsitutes himself and voted YES. The Senate
Budget Committee voted on 3/9/2015 to release the
bill. Again, Sweeney substitutes himself and
voted YES.
The Senate voted on 3/16/2015
(31-1-8)
passing the bill.
Sweeney voted YES.
On 8/10/2015, the bill became law. P.L.2015, c.83.
|
|
SUPPORTED |
5/3/2012 Introduced in
the Senate
|
S1921: Establishes
animal cruelty offense of cruel confinement of a
gestating pig.
|
Senate voted on
6/21/2012
(35-1-4) passing the bill.
Sweeney voted YES for a bill that is
widely supported.
On 6/27/2013, the governor
issued absolute veto
|
|
OPPOSED |
4/15/2013 Introduced
in the Senate
Sweeney is PRIMARY
SPONSOR
|
S2665 Removes statutory
limitation on number of permits that may be issued by
Division of Fish and Wildlife for the taking of
beaver.
|
The committed voted on 12/12/2013 to release bill, but
no further action was taken in the legislative
session.
|
|
OPPOSED |
1/25/2011 Introduced in the
Senate
|
S2649: Permits
certain deer control activities; prohibits deer
feeding; and establishes check-off donation on hunting
license applications to support venison donation
program. This
bill makes it worse for already beleaguered deer in
New Jersey because it would extend poaching practices
long deemed unethical, unsporting and unsafe (killing
animals directly over bait, jacklighting, or stunning
deer with strong lights, and shooting from vehicles),
on forest stewardship lands.
|
The
Senate voted on 4/28/2011 (22-8-10) passing the bill.
Sweeney voted YES
|
|
SUPPORTED |
1/17/2012 Introduced in the
Senate
|
S945: Imposes
certain registration and reporting requirements to
prevent illegal trade of tigers.
|
Assembly voted on 3/21/2013 (60-5-11) passing the
bill.
Senate voted on 5/13/2013 (29-4) passing the bill.
Sweeney voted YES for a bill that is widely
supported.
On 6/27/2013, the governor issued an absolute veto
|
|
OPPOSED |
1/17/2012 Introduced
in the Senate
|
S1085: Establishes
forest stewardship program for State-owned lands.Will
permit commercial logging of our state forests,
primarily for hunted species and timber.
|
The Senate voted on 6/25/2012 (36-3) passing the bill.
Sweeney voted YES.
On 8/19/2013, the governor
issued a conditional veto.
|
|
OPPOSED |
1/17/2012 Introduced
in the Senate
Sweeney is PRIMARY
SPONSOR
|
S1083: Establishes
certain apprentice hunting licenses, stripping the
requisite safety course for anyone 14 years of age if
accompanied by a hunting license holder above
twenty-one.
|
Senate Committee voted on 2/9/2012 amendments. On
2/9/2012, the bill was referred to Senate Budget and Appropriations
Committee. No further action was taken in the
legislative session.
|
|
OPPOSED |
2/4/2010 Introduced in
the Senate
|
S1181: Changes perimeter for
bow and arrow hunting around occupied building to 150
feet. The safety buffer was 450 feet.
|
The Senate voted on 6/21/2010 (25-7)
passing the bill.
Sweeney voted YES.
On 8/18/2010, the bill became law. P.L.2010, c.53.
|
|
OPPOSED |
3/15/2010 Introduced in the
Senate
|
S1776: Authorizes
counties to develop community based deer management
plans and apply for special deer management permits
for county-owned lands.
|
The Senate
voted on 6/10/2010 (35-1-4) passing the bill.
Sweeney voted YES.
On 8/18/2010 bill became
law.
P.L.2010, c.54
|
|
OPPOSED |
6/11/2009 Introduced in the Senate
Sweeney is PRIMARY
SPONSOR
|
S2879: Provides for discounted
resident trapping license fees for senior citizens.
|
Bill didn't move in this
legislative session.
|
|
OPPOSED |
1/17/2006 Introduced
in the Senate
Sweeney is PRIMARY
SPONSOR
|
S1029: Authorizes deer hunting
with bow and arrow on Sundays.
|
Bill didn't move in this
legislative session.
|
|
OPPOSED |
5/5/2005 Introduced in the Senate
Sweeney is PRIMARY SPONSOR
|
S2475: Authorizes deer hunting
with bow and arrow on Sundays.
|
Senate Committee voted on 6/16/2005
to release bill.
Sweeney
voted YES.
|
Top Ten Issues
1
In 2007, the
National Rifle Association in Fairfax, Virginia, and the
National Shooting Sports Foundation in Newtown, Connecticut,
contributed $6,000 and $1,500 respectively to Senator
Sweeney's campaign. The National Institute on Money in State
Politics lists the NRA as a top
contributor to Stephen Sweeney in 2007. The
National Shooting Sports Foundations is the "trade association
for the firearms industry."
2
In 2008, Senator
Sweeney formed the New Jersey Angler and Hunter Conservation
Caucus in the Legislature. As of March, 2017, he remained
co-chair. His caucus represents the "legislative brief" of the
National Sportsmen's Caucus, National Rifle Association, the
Archery Trade Association, Titanium, the National Shooting
Sports Foundation, Safari Club International, Browning, ATK
Federal Premium ammunition and others.
3
Divide
and deflect: Senator Sweeney sponsors non-controversial
companion animal /gestation crate legislation whilst pushing
bills that promote and deregulate hunting and trapping. He
obstructs humane measures that would protect wildlife within
the state.
4
In 2009, Sweeney
was prime sponsor of - and vigorously moved - S802, which
authorized deer hunting with bow and arrow on Sundays.
5
Suburban backyard
bow hunting: In 2010, Sweeney supported and promoted S1181 to
slash the safety buffer for bow and arrow hunting around
occupied buildings from 450 to 150 feet - primarily for
suburban homes (former Senate President Richard Codey had
opposed the measure). Furthermore, at 151 feet, no written
permission is required, meaning that hunters can hunt that
close to homes without permission. The law drew fire from
Millstone Township and the
state's largest newspaper. Millstone said that it
did not have a deer problem; it had a hunting problem. The
Rumson parents of young children were outraged when,
under the law, a hunter killed a deer in their backyard:
"Something is seriously wrong,
here, "wrote Rumson parents of young children when, as a
result of Van Drew's stripped safety buffer law, a hunter
killed a deer in their suburban backyard. "Yet hunters can
fire deadly weapons within 151 feet of our homes, send crazed
and wounded animals onto our properties to leave behind pools
of blood and state-of-the-art, designed-to-kill projectiles
hidden amid the fallen leaves - all without notification." (Op
Ed, Two River Times, Dec 10, 2010)
6
In 2015, Sweeney
was prime sponsor of S573, which stripped the requisite safety
course for anyone 14 years of age if accompanied by a hunting
license holder above twenty-one.
7
In 2015, Sweeney was prime sponsor of S2492,
an attempt to remove the statutory limitation on the number of
permits issued by the Division of Fish and Wildlife for
trapping beaver. The devices used for capturing beaver are
exceedingly cruel, body-crushing traps. Sweeney substituted
himself (for Richard Codey) on the Senate Environment and the
Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees. Senator Codey
later stated that he would not have voted for the bill.
Parenthetically, in the Budget Committee, humane organizations
watched as Sweeney and Oroho tabled the bill to lobby/pressure
our "no" votes to "yes." Sweeney has twice voted for his own
beaver trapping bill by substituting on committees.[1]
It is still not law.
8
In 2015, the Fish
and Game Council "regulated" types of spring-loaded,
steel-jawed leghold traps banned by the Legislature 33 years
ago. The Council authorized the illegal traps at the request
of New Jersey Fur Harvesters, a trapping club with 276
members.
9
In 2016, Senate
and Assembly concurrent resolutions sponsored, respectively,
by Senator Ray Lesniak and Assemblymen Singleton and Eustace,
declared the Game Council's regulation inconsistent with the
plain language and legislative intent of the 1984 law and
demanded withdrawal of the regulation. The Assembly voted not
once, but twice, to invalidate the rule. Despite the urgency,
Sweeney ignored repeated
pleas from scores of state, local
and national organizations, including the Natural
Resources Defense Council, and senators, to protect the humane
law. Nor would he allow the bill to be referred to another
committee.
10
In October, 2016,
Senator Lesniak introduced S2702, "Pedal's Law," to prohibit
hunting and establish a five-year moratorium and nonlethal
program for black bears. The legislation prohibits actions
that result in bear feeding and requires use of bear-resistant
containers, dumpsters, and food boxes in bear habitat. The
Division of Fish and Wildlife's acting director, Larry
Herrighty, was overheard telling a hunter at a weigh station
protest that Senator Sweeney will block the bill.
 
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